Dancing in the Leaves

"Come little leaves said the wind one day,

Come o'er the meadow with me and play,
Put on your dresses of red and gold, For summer has gone

And the days grow cold."

How many ways are there to go down a slide?

The world through Ammon's eyes...
(Pictures by 5 year old Ammon Toa:)

The boys having too much fun on the slide...

ODE TO BIRDA...

Poor Birda's dead, poor Birda Melvina is Dead.

This happened a month ago and I seriously just haven't wanted to address the sad subject but yes, another pet at the Cothran house has gone to heaven. Grama Annie got Birda (a parakeet) about 9 years ago. We even have pictures of Alana as a baby with Birda! A few months ago we watched Birda while Grama and Pagah went out of town. When they got home from their trip they asked if we wanted to keep Birda at our house because the kids love her so much and she was getting old.

OK, so Alana and Ammon had some friends over about a month ago and they were excited to see the bird. I had the door propped open to carry stuff in the house. Kids were yelling, and Birda (who has her wings clipped) got scared and flew off Alana's finger. Our neighbor's cat was just outside the door and grabbed Birda. Alana pried Birda from the cat's mouth and Birda died quickly thereafter. It was very traumatic and sad but Alana was very composed and in control (more than I was) about the whole situation. I was the one crying and Alana just said, "It's OK mom, Birda is happy with Saphie now!" Alana did break down later, especially when I told Grama Annie about what had happened. We are sorry Grama and Pagah! We loved Birda very much.

We love you Birda Melvina! Rest happy with the Johns, Charlie, Webby, Teancum and Saphie!

Happy Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween! Hope everyone had a good one! Ours was fun filled all week with school parties, Grama and Pagah's ward party and trick or treating. Alana said she wanted to be Dorothy from the wizard of oz because she carries a dog, until she found out Dorothy wears a dress, then it was worth a $10 purchase to get her a dog costume. Ammon opted on the classic Spider man but would NOT wear the mask. When we went to Grama and Pagah's ward party. Everyone was excited to dress up except Mac. So, dad wore his tiger costume instead :)These 2 were hilarious! I love Pagah's lipstick and Grama's teeth:)
Happy day! Happy day today! Our only "Costume picture" of Mac!

OK, check out all the details in this photo... The stroller that Aaron calls the "Mormon assault vehicle," Marrick's costume on the back of the stroller,(I refused to bring him a coat and said, oh, he'll put it on when he gets cold... No, Mac is as stubborn as they come!)Aaron's happy face because Mac screamed the whole night and Pagah in the background on the front porch(Every year they sit on the front porch with blankets and pass out Candy Canes to the kids:)

Happy Halloween! Hope yours was as spooky and crazy as ours:)

Happy Birthday to AMBER!

I had to do it:)

Happy Birthday Amber! Hope you have a wonderful, marvelous, crazy, fun filled day full of SUPISES! You deserve a good one!"They say it's your Birthday...na na na na na........" "....Happy Birthday dear... SISTA..... Happy Birthday to YOU!"

Happy Fall time!

I love family days! We finally had our dad home Saturday and because I painted the fish pond we got to go to the scarecrow festival free. The kids LOVED it! The had tons of big blow up slides, games, free farm land entrance, fun music... It was a beautiful day too.

Happy Fall time!Check out that pumpkin!The 3 amigos... farm land

listening to the fiddle with good ol' pb&j

Ammon's stunt, he did this ladder in like 30 seconds!

Alana loved the tower, she is at the topstarting him young... "that's right son, swing down on the ball..."

So this is where they belong:)

mutton riding, New Zealand style

Brotherly Love?

This is a video of the boys playing with our cousin's cat. When Alana started school this year I was excited about the boys becoming better friends. They are better friends but they either play really well or fight really well. Yesterday I heard crying in the play room. I ran downstairs to see Marrick's forehead all bloody. The boys were fighting over blocks. Mac threw one at Ammon so Ammon threw one back, but his hit Mac in the forehead hard. 2 stitches later Ammon has learned a good lesson about being kinder to his 2 year old brother! I made him come to the doctor to see the owies Marrick was going to get. They had to strap Mac to a papoose board to numb it and then stitch it. (I think that part was worse for mom!) Ammon felt very bad about what happened. Mac keeps saying, "Ammon broke my nog!" Good ol' brotherly love! I do love my boys!

Inspired Truths...

I love General Conference! There is just something wonderful about staying in your jammies, having yummy breakfast, getting a craft out and listening to inspired leaders testify about the gospel of Jesus Christ. My very favorite talk this conference was by Elder Holland. The way he bore witness of the Book of Mormon was truly inspiring. I have known for a long time that the Book of Mormon is true. But the way that Elder Holland testified with passion was incredible. My testimony has truly been strengthened!
Elder Holland said, "... I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph (Smith) said it came forth, and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of these latter days,"
Inspire yourself:


Our prophet President Monson gave a wonderful talk about service. He said, "My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragements, our support, our comfort and our kindness, We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift his children." It made me remember that it is not always "someone elses" responsibility to take care of others needs. President Monson also reminded us that "(Heavenly Father) is ever mindful of us, He loves us and will bless us as we do what is right." I love being a part of this wonderful church~